In The End, You'll Be Missed
by Ru Shin
Summary: When the world lies in ruins, and his mortal enemy is finally taking its last breath...will it be happiness that he feels? Warning, slight ZaDR


**Warnings:** ZaDR, Blood

**Rating:** PG

**Title:_ In the End, You'll be Missed_**

Sirens wailed in mechanical anguish and television sets across the entire planet were tuned into the same broadcast, listening intently to the grave news that had been telecasted non-stop for three days...Earth was doomed. Their natural resources had been drained away and the atmosphere polluted with deadly sulfur…so many had died already, their corpses lying unburied and attracting flies. The dead outnumbered the living by thousands…it was like Hell had risen from its hidden depths and taken over the world above. All hope was lost…

Except for one. The strange being that had caused all of this strife, all of this pain and misery…He held the answer to it all. The remedy to the human's afflictions…Yet, after many physical and mental beatings…still no solutions poured from the alien's mouth. His pride kept him steady and unwavering. Even as he had been captured and forced to watch his base be ransacked, that ever proud grin had stayed in place. They thought they were weakening him, that they were getting closer to the answers they strived for…

Then, the unexpected had happened--unexpected by all, but one. He knew how this alien worked, how this Irken thought. He had seen it coming and had tried his best to stop it. He alone knew what it meant when the creature had self destructed his Pak, and he was the first of many to cry out in agony as he realized how truly doomed they all were.

That had happened three minutes ago. It felt like an eternity to him as he stood before the dying form of his greatest enemy, silent tears streaming from narrowed, hazel eyes. "You're pathetic, Zim. Taking the easy way out…" He took a shaky breath, raking his hand through his raven locks, tugging at them fretfully.

The being's shoulders quaked in painful laughter. "Easy…? Yes…dying is easy when there's such glory behind it." Blood slowly oozed from the alien's mouth as he spoke, the lights in his eyes growing duller as each agonizing minute passed.

His hands clenched into fists, the nails digging into his palms as he scoffed. "Glory? You're lying in a pool of your own blood, slowly forgetting all that you've ever known and everything that you are, Zim. Explain to me how that's glorious, 'cause I don't see it."

The Irken's lips curled upward, and he muttered to himself. "Five minutes…" Flakes of blood splattered onto the floor as he coughed, hissing in pain. His eyes fluttered closed for a moment, his life clock ticking away mockingly in his mind. The human thought for sure he wouldn't respond to his inquiry. "Any form of death is glorious…if you've accomplished your goal." He grinned, blood slicked teeth showing off his pride in a gruesome manner. The human teen's eyes narrowed behind thick glasses as he listened to those words.

"Your leaders…the Tallests…they're coming, aren't they?" He was frightened and baffled as he watch the alien give a silent nod, that smug grin still in place despite the pain that was etched into his features. Zim's leaders had never seemed to care before. What had changed their minds? He shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose to calm the small wave nausea that washed over him. It didn't mater, not now. The fact still remained that they were coming. He had to think of a plan of action, some kind of defense…if there was even anyone left to defend by the time they arrived.

He was startled from his thoughts as a raspy chuckle filled the room. He turned his gaze back to the fallen Invader, the alien only had less than a minute remaining. He shouldn't be coherent enough to think of anything humorous, let alone be able to control his mind enough to form laughter. He quirked a brow curiously, knowing he'd probably regret asking. "What's so funny, Zim?" He wasn't expecting an answer. Not a real one, anyway. If anything, he expected gibberish and more dark chuckles.

"I'll miss him the most…" The voice was quiet, and hard to hear, but it caught him by surprise and ensnared his interest. He scanned his brain for anyone Zim might possibly miss. His mind drew a blank before a spastic, robotic face filled his vision. "Who, Zim? G.I.R.?" He frowned. The alien looked so pathetic lying there. He had dreamed of watching the being die all his life, but now…He sighed. As begrudged as he was to admit it, if he survived the on coming invasion…he would miss his fights with the short, green creature.

The Irken's body lay quiet for a short moment, eyes distant in some memory. "No…**_him_**. The only being I loved to hate…and hated to love." His eyes slipped closed as a soft, irony filled smirk appeared. "Heh…Don't tell the Dib-beast…that I said that…about him." He sighed, his last breath leaving him as his body went slack, finally free from pain and the troubles of the world.

The room stayed eerily quiet for a long time as the human stared at the lifeless form, the empty husk of the one person that had given his life a purpose. His hands clenched tightly at his sides and fresh tears streamed down his face unheeded. He stood there, head bowed sadly before a soft reply left him. "I don't have to, Zim…You just did it yourself."


End file.
